As the holidays approach, a wind of uncertainty hangs over Xbox fans. After two price increases in 2025, a third could well be on the horizon. In question? A global shortage of DRAM, exacerbated by growing demand for artificial intelligence, notably from OpenAI.
According to several corroborating sources from the video game industry, Microsoft could be forced to once again increase the prices of its Xbox Series While no specific date has been announced, the impact on consumers’ wallets could be imminent.
A price surge linked to RAM and artificial intelligence
Since the second half of 2025, the prices of DRAM memory chips have continued to rise. The growing demand for memory, mainly used for AI server infrastructures, has pushed manufacturers like Samsung or SK hynix to redirect their production towards this more lucrative market. Result: DDR5 RAM kits for PCs saw their prices jump by more than 200% in the fall, sometimes reaching 250 dollars compared to less than 100 a few months earlier.
This situation has direct repercussions on game consoles. Microsoft, already impacted by American customs duties which led to two successive increases in Xbox prices in 2025, now finds itself facing another supply crisis. Currently, the Xbox Series S starts at $379.99, while the Series X costs $599.99. The specter of a new increase therefore does not seem far-fetched, especially in the absence of promotional offers on consoles during Black Friday.
Sony remains in the background, for the moment
The situation is different for Microsoft’s direct competitor. According to Moore’s Law Is Dead, Sony would not be immediately affected by this price increase. “Sony appears to have enough DRAM available to meet consumer demand during the shopping season,” he said. A claim supported by the $100 reductions applied to certain PS5 models for Black Friday.
If Microsoft does offer promotions on games like Fallout 76 or The Outer Worlds 2, its consoles remain excluded from any discounts. At this time, there is no certainty when, or by how much, Xbox prices might change. But for those considering purchasing one, the wait could well be costly.